Rapid method to measure cyanide in biological samples

1. A method for determining an amount of cyanide, comprising:

contacting a sample comprising cyanide with a cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide;

reacting the cyanide with the cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide resulting in cyanide bound to a portion of the cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide;

exposing the sample to light;

measuring an absorbance of the light by the sample wherein the measured absorbance differentiates between cyanide bound to the portion of the cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide and a remainder of cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide; and

determine the amount of cyanide based on the measured absorbance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has a first wavelength of about 300 nm to about 600 nm.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has a first wavelength of about 348 nm or about 366 nm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has a first wavelength of about 366 nm.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising measuring the absorbance of light having a second wavelength of about 505 nm by the sample.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has a first wavelength of about 490 nm to about 590 nm.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has a first wavelength of about 580 nm.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising measuring the absorbance of light having a second wavelength of about 505 nm by the sample.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has a first wavelength of about 562 nm.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising measuring the absorbance of light having a second wavelength of about 505 nm by the sample.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the light has a first wavelength of 505 nm.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the light has a first wavelength selected from the group consisting of about 348 nm, about 366 nm, about 505 nm, about 562 nm and about 580 nm.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide comprises hydroxoaquocobinamide, dihydroxocobinamide or aquocyanocobinamide.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein contacting the sample comprising cyanide with a cobinamide or a monocyanocobinamide comprises contacting the sample with a membrane comprising cobinamide or a monocyanocobinamide.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample comprises air, water, blood or saliva.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of cyanide in the sample is about 0.25 nmol or greater.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the amount of cyanide is about 0.25 nmol.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the amount of cyanide is about 0.5 nmol or greater.

19. A surface for detecting cyanide comprising an effective amount of cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide wherein the surface or a portion thereof changes color from orange to violet upon contact with a sample comprising cyanide.

20. The surface of claim 19 , wherein the surface is cobinamide-impregnated paper.

21. The surface of claim 19 , wherein the surface is a cobinamide-impregnated porous membrane.

22. A method of determining an amount of cyanide in a sample, comprising:

adding a sample comprising cyanide to a carrier;

moving the sample and the carrier to a mixing coil comprising cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide;

allowing the cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide and the sample to react resulting in cyanide bound to a portion of the cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide;

exposing the sample to light;

measuring an absorbance of light by the sample and the carrier wherein the measured absorbance differentiates between cyanide bound to the portion of the cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide and a remainder of cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide; and

determining the amount of cyanide in the sample based on the measured absorbance.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the light has a first wavelength selected from the group consisting of 366 nm, 505 nm, 562 nm and 580 nm.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the cobinamide or monocyanocobinamide comprises hydroxoaquocobinamide, dihydroxocobinamide or aquocyanocobinamide.